Momentum & collisions worksheet with answers

Free printable Momentum & collisions worksheet: 6 problems from easy to exam level, with an answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF.

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1.Easy
2000 kg20 m/s600 kg13 m/s

A 2000 kg car moving at 20 m/s collides head-on with a 600 kg car moving at 13 m/s in the opposite direction. The cars lock together. Find their common velocity v′ just after the collision (positive in the first car’s direction).

m1 = 2000 kgv1 = 20 m/sm2 = 600 kgv2 = −13 m/s
v′ = m/s
2.Easy
900 kg13 m/s1800 kg13 m/s

A 900 kg car moving at 13 m/s collides head-on with a 1800 kg car moving at 13 m/s in the opposite direction. The cars lock together. Find their common velocity v′ just after the collision (positive in the first car’s direction).

m1 = 900 kgv1 = 13 m/sm2 = 1800 kgv2 = −13 m/s
v′ = m/s
3.Medium
3.5 kgv = ?8 gh = 17 cm

An 8 g bullet is fired horizontally into a 3.5 kg wooden block hanging on light strings, and stays inside it. The block swings up until it is 17 cm higher than at the start. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v of the bullet before impact.

m = 8 gM = 3.5 kgh = 17 cmg = 9.81 m/s²
v = m/s
4.Medium
6 kg82 m/s2 kgv′2​ = ?

An 8 kg projectile moving horizontally at 26 m/s explodes into two fragments that move along the same line. The 6 kg fragment continues forwards at 82 m/s. Find the velocity v′2 of the 2 kg fragment (positive in the original direction).

M = 8 kgu = 26 m/sm1 = 6 kgv′1 = 82 m/sm2 = 2 kg
v′2 = m/s
5.Hard
9 m/s18 m/s

A 0.45 kg ball hits a wall at 9 m/s and bounces straight back at 18 m/s. The contact lasts 5 ms. Find the average force Favg of the wall on the ball.

m = 0.45 kgvin = 9 m/svout = 18 m/sΔt = 5 ms
Favg = N
6.Hard
20 m/s5 m/s

A 0.6 kg ball hits a wall at 20 m/s and bounces straight back at 5 m/s. The contact lasts 40 ms. Find the average force Favg of the wall on the ball.

m = 0.6 kgvin = 20 m/svout = 5 m/sΔt = 40 ms
Favg = N

Answer key

  1. 1. v′ = 12.38 m/s
  2. 2. v′ = −4.333 m/s
  3. 3. v = 800.8 m/s
  4. 4. v′2 = −142 m/s
  5. 5. Favg = 2430 N
  6. 6. Favg = 375 N

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